As the civilized world becomes urbanized at an alarmingly accelerated rate, the care and training of pets, especially dogs, assumes a new dimension. Whereas in a rural society, a family would typically have several children and at least one large dog which runs free on the property, obviously the dog must face certain constraints when moved to the city.
Urbanization has apparently done nothing to dampen the zeal of pet owners. People who have pets generally will conform their lifestyle and circumstances around the pet rather than do without it. This generally includes spending many hours, searching far and wide, for a rental house or apartment which will accept pets. When walking the pet, many, and probably most, large cities have ordinances imposing a large fine on pet owners who fail to pick up their pets, droppings from city streets while walking it.
Obviously, the reason most landlords are reluctant to have pets, and in particular dogs, live in and on their property is the fact that they are rarely 100% housebroken. Although eliminating the fleas once the dog has moved out is an achievable task, the main problem lies in cleaning the carpet, which has been the victim of numerous little accidents that the dog has had over the months or years it has inhabited the house. Typically, the odor emitted by the rug, and sometimes its stained appearance, either requires that the rug be replaced, or at the very least makes it difficult for the landlord to re-rent the property.
The pet problem has become increasingly critical due to the relegation of many people to smaller and smaller urban quarters and the increasing reluctance of landlords to accept pets. There is an increasing need for techniques and devices to effectively train pets and particularly dogs to use a specific and restricted area as a bathroom rather than the entire carpet. It is true that there are cat boxes for cats, and dog owners generally put down newspapers and spank the dog and "rub his nose in it" when he relieves himself in the wrong place. The latter may be effective when done often enough and consistently enough, and providing the dog is caught immediately after committing the offending deed. However, in the real world this is rarely possible.
There is a need, therefore, for a system and a device which would automatically train the dog to relieve itself on a newspaper area specifically set aside for such purpose.